Great Company with Jamie Laing

MIKA’s music is full of colour. It’s bold, joyful and instantly recognisable. It’s the kind of music that lifts you up and meeting MIKA, that same energy radiates through.He’s lived a fascinating life, shaped by bright moments and darker ones too. In this conversation, we talk about the years before his success, the awkwardness of putting yourself out there and how, at his treasured white piano, he found a place of freedom where creativity led, identity didn’t need explaining and he could be himself.We cover:- Fleeing Beirut with his family after civil war broke out- The teacher who tormented him and why he was forced to leave school- How music became a warm ‘hug’ when everything else fell apart- Turning up at Warner Music aged 12 with his demo tracks- Celebrating his sexuality through his music- Why embarrassment can be a force of goodMIKA’s story is a reminder that the things that make us different are often the very things that save us.MIKA is Great Company.If you enjoyed the show, you can also follow us: Instagram- @greatcompanypodcastTikTok - @greatcompanypodcast And if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at: [email protected] THE CREDITS Executive Producers: Ewan Newbigging-Lister & Jemima RathboneProducer: Helen BurkeAssistant Producer: Issy Weeks-HankinsVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura Coughlan & Anthony Barter Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you struggling to find your purpose? Unsure what - or who - you should be investing your time in. Well, this is a conversation you need to hear.Robin Sharma is one of the world’s top leadership experts and author of one of my favourite books, The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari. He helps people discover their “why” and grow into the best version of themselves.In this Great Moment, Robin challenged me to ask the hard questions: Are we really investing our time in the right places? He reminded me that often our purpose is right in front of us - we just need to notice it.Listen to the full episode HERE!If you enjoyed the show, you can also follow us: Instagram- @greatcompanypodcastTikTok - @greatcompanypodcast And if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at: [email protected] THE CREDITS Executive Producers: Ewan Newbigging-Lister & Jemima RathboneProducer: Helen BurkeAssistant Producer: Issy Weeks-HankinsVideo: Jake JiSocial Media: Laura Coughlan Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We all want to be happy and live a good life but how do we actually get there? It’s a big question, and one that most of us don’t have a clear answer to. This episode will help you find your happiest self.In fact, we’re often told that money, status and success are the keys to happiness. But according to professor and psychiatrist Dr Robert Waldinger, we’ve been getting it wrong.Dr Waldinger is the director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the longest-running study on happiness ever conducted. I was so excited to sit down with him to discuss what more than 85 years of research reveals about living a good life and how we can all make this year the happiest year of our lives - starting now.We cover:What really matters for long-term happinessHow to live a happy lifeWhy loneliness is one of the biggest threats to our wellbeingWhat we get wrong about happiness and how to get it rightThe most common unhealthy traits in our relationshipsSimple ways to meet people and make meaningful connectionsThis conversation will leave you feeling hopeful and give you a renewed appreciation for the people in your life.Dr Robert Waldinger is Great Company.Learn more about Dr Waldinger's book 'The Good Life ' HEREIf you enjoyed the show, you can also follow us: Instagram- @greatcompanypodcastTikTok - @greatcompanypodcast And if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at: [email protected] THE CREDITS Executive Producers: Ewan Newbigging-Lister & Jemima RathboneProducer: Helen BurkeAssistant Producer: Issy Weeks-HankinsVideo: Jake Ji & Ryley KirbySocial Media: Laura Coughlan & Anthony Barter Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy New Year’s Eve! As we get ready for a new year, I wanted to revisit one of my all-time favourite episodes of Great Company with the incredible Alain de Botton. I’ve been lucky enough to sit down with Alain not once, but twice on the show and every time I speak to him, I come away feeling calmer, a little wiser and thinking about life in a new way. I keep coming back to this episode because every time I do, I take something new from it. Alain’s insights into human connection, love and emotional growth are fascinating. They’ve shaped how I think about my relationships, my friendships and what it really means to grow into the best version of ourselves. We cover: How to navigate heartbreak Why our childhood is so informative on the rest of our lives Why funny people often have sad parents How attachment styles and past experiences can shape the way we love What actually is the meaning of life This conversation is a gentle reminder that becoming a “new you” often starts with understanding the old one.Alain De Botton is Great Company. If you enjoyed the show, you can also follow us: Instagram- @greatcompanypodcastTikTok - @greatcompanypodcast And if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at: [email protected] THE CREDITS Executive Producers: Ewan Newbigging-Lister & Jemima RathboneProducer: Helen BurkeAssistant Producer: Issy Weeks-HankinsVideo: Jake Ji & Josh BennettSocial Media: Laura Coughlan Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Wow. What a year.2025 has been an unforgettable year for Great Company. We’ve had so many incredible guests who’ve shared funny, inspiring and truly special conversations on the show. To celebrate another amazing year, I wanted to look back at some of those moments with you. These are conversations that made me see things differently, learn new things and reminded me how powerful it is to connect with others.In this episode, we look back at six incredible guests: Cat Burns on small talk Riordan Maynard’s time in US prisonJessie J opening up about her cancer diagnosis Amol Rajan on coping with the loss of his Dad Spencer Matthews reflecting on our friendship Alain de Botton on how to make friends and build meaningful connectionsYou can listen to their full episodes here: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Kd2M4haIslbND5DN4E08C - CAT BURNS https://open.spotify.com/episode/635kWmmWQ0OL0QrtBbIzj1 - RIORDAN https://open.spotify.com/episode/3CbT2rzMmUQl67iBsIEwRW - JESSIE J https://open.spotify.com/episode/2MnO1ZfAcdJgDgdsVyu8Kd - AMOL RAJAN https://open.spotify.com/episode/6raoq8XWiSxRe1vkABkCev - SPENCER MATTHEWShttps://open.spotify.com/episode/3gfbmWug0Od4MiwP5J0Xaq - ALAIN DE BOTTONAnd a BIG thanks to you for listening to the show - whether you’ve been here from the beginning or it’s a recent find, I really appreciate every single listen so thank you! YOU are Great Company. If you enjoyed the show, you can also follow us: Instagram- @greatcompanypodcastTikTok - @greatcompanypodcast And if you've got thoughts, questions and comments, you can email us at: [email protected] THE CREDITS Executive Producers: Ewan Newbigging-Lister & Jemima RathboneProducer: Helen BurkeAssistant Producer: Issy Weeks-HankinsVideo: Jake Ji & Josh BennettSocial Media: Laura Coughlan Great Company is an original podcast from JamPot Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.